Firms seal deal to enhance barge operations as cargo through put rises

Date: 24 December 2025 3:55am WAT

Founder, GMT Nigeria Limited, Philippe Soulier (left); Chief Executive Officer, APM Terminals Nigeria, Frederik Klinke; (Back row) APM Terminals Regional Managing Director, Europe and Africa, Igor van den Essen (left); Chief Executive Officer, APM Terminals, Keith Svendsen and Chief Executive Officer, GMT Nigeria Limited, Karim Said, at the signing of a lease agreement between the companies to expand port services in Apapa, Lagos.

APM Terminals and Barging Marine Solutions Limited have signed an exclusive lease agreement until September 2031 to increase trade capacity and provide enhanced barge connections to benefit both customers and shipping lines in and around Apapa.

Signing the agreement yesterday, the Chief Executive Officer of APM Terminals, Keith Svendsen, said the Nigerian market has shown solid growth throughout 2025 and the terminals strongly believe in the development of the market in the years ahead.

“It is important that we take the necessary steps to develop and realise the potential of the terminal, while also looking at the future potential to invest and modernise further in Lagos. Barging Marine Solutions has been running a resilient business, and we look forward to developing the synergies we see by entering this collaboration,” he said.

The Chief Executive Officer of Barging Marine Solutions Limited, Karim Said, explained that the collaboration builds on the strong existing business that both organisations have together and will provide enhanced logistics solutions for the terminal’s customers and shipping lines by leveraging BMS’s barging and terminal operations for additional capacity and reliable delivery.

He said facilities include two waterfront and inland container terminals as well as barge services that will offer an alternative to road transportation and thereby ease the pressure on roadside transport via trucking, reducing traffic congestion and reducing logistics-related costs.

The Managing Director of APM Terminals Nigeria, Frederik Klinke, said the improved barge services and the company’s position as market leader within inland container depots can improve both reliability and speed for the terminal’s customers.

He said it will also optimise the terminal’s coordination across the supply chain, which will give a more seamless customer experience.

Klinke noted that Barging Marine Solutions Ltd will, under the agreement, operate the services for APM Terminals and the companies will jointly develop solutions to add value for customers.